One of the first questions I'm often asked with my online adventures is, "how can you help me?"

I first start with seeing what type of business you are in.  I then explore some basic questions:

What is the message of your business?

Are you selling products and/or services?

How much time are you willing to spend on being social?

What is your budget?

Of course there are more questions, but these are the beginning points, so let's explore them a little more:

First - the message of your business is defining what your business is about, the industry that you are in.   Sharing about who you are and what your business is about will help you find content that your customers/audience will be interested in.   Some content can be found on other sites to generate discussion - while other content you may have to generate yourself.

Second - if you are selling products and/or services, you have specific opportunities to share these over social media platforms.  From giveaways, to coupons and special discounts.... and more....

Third - being on social media means that you have to be social.  This means to earmark a specific amount of time to respond to people directly.   It's about showing that you are interactive.   If you are unable to provide a level of interactivity, maybe hiring someone who can do this for you should be considered.  Even an intern can do some basic content posting/sharing and general responses.

Fourth - if you are serious about online work with social media - having a budget is something worth some serious discussion.
From buying of ads on platforms like facebook and twitter, to hiring people to manage your social media efforts, the thing to remember is what will provide the best return on investment.

Each business and what your goals are will help guide you on what social media strategy you would want to use.  There is not a one size fits all strategy, as some types of businesses are better for LinkedIn than Facebook.   Finding the strategy and what social media outlets would work best depends upon what you are about, and how you want to share it.

Social media is just one aspect of a marketing campaign - but it should be a major level of discussion in your marketing efforts.

If you have your own website URL, selling products and or services, or just want to heavily promote your blog - having a plan on managing your social media efforts will help with branding who you are online.

For other marketing concepts, review things like Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization as well.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns - leave a comment.

Until later, Be Blessed.

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It's rather interesting when people hear about what we're doing with Autisable, especially when they want to be a part of it.

Recently people have been sharing with me that they are on board with 'whatever we're doing'.   Which as encouraging as that sounds, it makes me pause for a period of time and ask them questions on what they can bring to the table.  After all, if someone wants to be a part of a project of this caliber, ideas need to be presented.

All I know is that I have a vision.   For the most part Autisable is like a large ship sailing through the oceans and I'm holding onto the steering wheel guiding the rudder.    The seas we are sailing through requires the ship to have key people to assist in specific areas - not to just keep the ship running and afloat - but to be moving forward.

The quote above is a good perspective as to where we've been at for awhile - coming together.   Some folks come for a time and a season, while others want to see this thing all the way through.

I make it very plain that I need help in specific areas, and finding people with experience in those areas will be the key to Autisable's success.   I have to trust that these people will do what they say they will do, and encourage them as best I can by providing an environment to make their efforts possible.

In doing this, I'm empowering people to take some ownership of this vision.   I'm also nothing short of amazed at the progress that has happened so far.

Still much more work to do, with a lot of details to sort out.   That being said, the voyage is enjoyable - even with the ship rocking and rolling sometimes.

Looking forward to sharing even more as things progress.

Until later... Be blessed.

It's been awhile since I've done a Xanga specific post - so here is an update...

First, I don't know what the Team is up to at the moment.  I just know that several Terabytes of information is still being addressed for millions of people's individual accounts - along with some minor updates to the site itself.

My focus lately has been getting Autisable relaunched, with it's eventual transfer to a company currently in development, and it's promotional efforts.

Now we've on Xanga 2.0 - what can we do to make the best of this platform?

Here's a run down of what is now available on the site.
1 - All Media from Xanga 1.0 (photo's/Videos's) was moved to the Xanga Photos section of your dashboard.   New Media uploads (video/pics/url's) can be managed through the Media section on your dashboard.

2 - If you made a contribution, or paid to be upgraded, your blog posts should not only be able to be seen, you should be able to blog.

3 - If you didn't make a contribution, or pay for the upgrade, your blog posts will not be seen - but are available via the archives.   There should be a notification you can click to prep your archives.  You'll have to wait until they are ready to download - which you will be notified when they are ready.

4 - Also, if you didn't pay for the upgrade - or make a contribution - you still can subscribe and comment on other Xanga blogs.  Check out the "reading" section on your dashboard.

5 - you can manage who you follow (subscribe) to you, and those following you (subscribers to your blog) on the 'Following' section of your dashboard.

6 - you can manage comments on your blog - from spam, to individual comments, under the comments section on your dashboard.

7 - Appearance - you can do minor theme changes at this time.  Upload a new background, place pre-approved widgets onto your site.

8 - You can also add multiple users to your account, thereby creating a collaborative blog.

9 - Importing and exporting tools are available - under the Tools section on the dashboard.

10 - advanced settings are good to look at for formatting and security needs.

11 - Xanga Account Management addresses the status of your account - basic or blogger... (or to shut it down).

Ok, now what?

One of the things that people need to regularly do is check their 'Reading' section of their dashboard.   People are still blogging, believe it or not.   So, comment, reply, have some fun.

In managing the Xanga facebook page, people are searching for bloggers - even if they aren't on Xanga!  So please, leave a comment on the xanga facebook page with the URL of the blog or blog post.  Or just leave a comment on my blog with the information.

Just remember that some folks have their settings on their xanga blog to being private, or that you have to sign in to view it.  This makes sharing on social media a challenge.  Double check your own settings, make sure they are what you want them to be.

It's up to us to make the site better.   I believe we will eventually see some updates to the site.   Until then, let's make the best of it.

Until later, keep blogging.

 

Pictured above are Robert Robinson and his mother Angie.   Neither one of them is with us any longer.

Angie, pushed to the breaking point in taking care of her son, couldn't take it anymore.   She and her son both apparently overdosed on medication.

http://www.theprovince.com/touch/news/top-stories/Prince+Rupert+family+ordeal+ends+tragedy/9768605/story.html

 

I hear this story time and again, at least a few times a year.  The warning signs are subtle, but they are visible.

Robert had Autism, and his Autism was very severe to the point of being very physical.  From head butting, to fighting.   He struggled.  His mother, Angie was much smaller - and the services in her area were extremely lacking in helping them in their need.

Many people have shared their story on facebook, and some folks have commented that they could never harm their own child, or that it's completely selfish of her to do such an act.

But we weren't in her shoes.   Many of these stories involve parents who have fought a good fight - but haven't set up a strong support network to actually help them take care of themselves.   And without taking care of yourself first, how can you take care of others with a right mindset?

I've been contacted by parents on a regular basis, just not knowing what steps to take to get the support they need.  Sometimes it can be as simple as putting them in touch with a website URL or a phone number or e-mail address of someone who's helped me out.

Getting into the right program, or just to have a network of friends that understand your child, so you can get some time away to relax...to get some respite.

People like Angie may not have all the tools, and they feel trapped.   They feel as though no one else can take care of their child like they can.   When dealing with a complex disorder like Autism, I can relate at times.   After all, with each person - you can only talk about routines and what needs to be done but so much.

I can only encourage people in these situations to remember that they aren't alone.   They should focus on creating a network to help them with their child - beyond the services that can be provided.   This will help them take better care of themselves so they can make better choices.

No one in their right mind would do such a thing.  But it does happen when some folks are pushed to the edge.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Robinson family, and to the community of Prince Rupert.  Hopefully one day we will not hear of these stories and families that need the support will have it available to them.

I've been sharing about what we're doing with Autisable for quite some time now on this blog.  At least ever since Autisable's been placed offline until it's upgrade and relaunch occurs.

As part of the promotional efforts, we are developing a program for The Autism Channel.  And, well, we need someone who can be in front of the camera that we can believe in.

This is a major challenge for us, as living in the Tidewater area of Virginia doesn't always lend itself to people that are in the public limelight.  We aren't, after all, New York or LA - where obtaining an actor or actress can take just a few days.

In any event, I received a call from a friend who's been helping me out, and he told me about Michael Copon, and that he's actually from Chesapeake, VA.   On top of that, he has relatives who are on the Autism Spectrum and has a passion against bullying.

So, I had to look up a bit more about this guy.  After all, I was to be meeting this guy and needed to do a bit of public background checking.

As it turns out, he's been on several shows I've seen - from Power Rangers to One Tree Hill, along with the straight to DVD film Scorpion King 2, this guy is a hard working actor with some decent roles under his belt.

But the question always comes out - is this guy for real?  Well, I have to say, "Yes, he is!"

Michael is a really nice guy who is also keeping himself working on several projects.   He describes himself as a bit of a workaholic, and I can see why.  He's always on the go - kinda reminds me of myself at times, always keeping active.

He shared with me what he's up to, and I shared what we're doing with Autisable and our promotional efforts.  We saw how we can help each other.   Autisable has promotional outlets, and he can help us with developing the content for these outlets.   As part of  the process, his anti-bullying efforts - along with some of the artists that he's working with - will be promoted as well.

During the meeting I also found out that he's good friends with AJ Rafael - someone who's already on board with what we are doing.

Connect with Michael Copon via Facebook and Twitter - he regularly posts what he's been up to:
- facebook - https://www.facebook.com/IAmMeMovie
- Twitter - https://twitter.com/Michaelcopon

 

Unti later... Be Blessed.

This story has hit the Autism community like wildfire over the past couple of days.

The restaurant chain had planned on donating a portion of its sales on Monday to the National Autism Association.

However, it seems there was a lot of backlash from people who do not agree with the National Autism Associations opinion regarding vaccinations and Autism.   So, what does Chili's do?  They back out of supporting the organization altogether.

And many wonder why I stay clear of the topic of vaccinations, here's a prime example:

Most companies will steer clear of controversial topics as they do not want to alienate a segment of their customer base.

While I neither agree nor disagree with Chili's decision, or even that of the National Autism Associations perspective regarding vaccines, this situation highlights a major hurdle within the Autism community that needs to be addressed...

... the fact that we should all work together and find our common issues to focus on.

In regards to vaccinations and autism, all I can say is that we just don't know enough.    For every study that proves there is a connection, there's another study that disproves it.   I get this from both sides of this highly debated subject, therefore, I can't formulate a qualified opinion.

What I do know is that the National Autism Association has been serving the needs of the community in many ways, just like many other Autism organizations.

What I do know is that they have been working hard on a major campain to address elopement, by providing easy tools that parents can use to help people with identification and locating their child who may have a tendency to run away.  Much of the fundraising campaign with Chili's, to my understanding, was to help fund this campaign.

By people 'boycotting' chili's, and this backlash that is being reported - all this did was two things:

- one - keep the debate going regarding vaccines and autism (which really is just putting the focus on vaccines and not autism)

and

-two- show a significant lack of unifying support from the autism community at large - which has been a challenge to begin with for a long time.

Am I disappointed in Chili's decision?   Of course?   But can I blame them?  I can't.   Any business will back out of supporting something when there is any type of negative publicity - whether it's true or not.   I keep thinking about when companies would pull their support for Paula Dean or Tiger Woods.

I'm more concerned about the Autism Community in general.   We have to support one another, and find and support organizations that help our families and individuals.

Each organization I've had the pleasure of working with has it's strength's  - and we should focus on the Strength's - and support each other.

Be kind.

Until later, be blessed.

Today I was approached by someone who supposedly represented Mega Millions Lottery.

They said I was selected to win $5.5 million dollars.

But that's where this story began...

I'm a fan of the Publishers Clearing House facebook fan page.   We all may have that moment and go, "sure, why not?"  ... right?

Well, the fan page on PCH had a status update with a picture that shared for people to leave a comment with (Y).

So, why not.... so I did.

Within minutes, a person friended me on facebook.  This person went by the name Patricia Davis.   I checked out their facebook profile and being that I just responded to the PCH status update, I said... "hey, why not" - so I accepted the friend request.

A few moments after that, a series of messages and exchanges happened through facebook messaging.

It started off simple enough... "hey, do you know why I connected with you?"

Then it went to "just send me your address and I'll deliver your prize"

Red flags were going off left and right.  And NO, I didn't share my address.

What I did do was play along so I can get an idea of how this scam works so I can pass it along to others so they are aware.

So, here's what I found out:

- First, they set up a bogus facebook profile.   This one was less than a couple of weeks old, had few status updates.

- Second, they search fan pages - like Publishers clearing house's - and wait for them to post an update where you have to respond in the comments section.

- Third, they friend as many folks as possible and await for people to accept friend requests.

- Fourth - they message the person that accepted the friend request and say that they represent Mega Millions (or some other instant winning organization) - and that all they need is an address to deliver the winnings within 3 to 5 business days.

So far, it sounds almost official.  However, there are a few flags already:
1 - I'm not a fan of mega millions lottery facebook page, but I do know that particular lottery the winners are determined by a selection of numbers.  Definetely NOT the way they were going about it.

2 - The persons language was semi-professional.   Something just wasn't right in the use of their use of the english language.

3 - if someone does win, each organization has a list of how they will contact people.  No where does it say via facebook message as to notify a winner - especially in this instance.

But that's not all...  there's more to this story.

As with most situations, I am very hesitant with passing out personal information. Especially Online.  So, I express a bit of hesitation and ask that they respond (or have someone respond) via their official facebook fanpage.  At least that would create a more open and honest dialogue.

Over the course of 15-20 minutes, this can easily be done.   But it wasn't.

So, I let the person know that I am sending a message to PCH's fanpage to obtain verification of who this person is.  Now remember, this person said they were from Mega Millions (not PCH).   Another red flag at the fact they didn't correct me.

I still play along and ask that if I do give my address, what will the next steps be?

Then, after a few more messages back a forth, the scam is revealed - here's an excerpt:

"You will be needing a national state ID or drivers license, a green dot card and last but not least faith and confident ok

Allow me to explain why this card is need ok. This card have a 14 digit code breaker that allows us to have access to you package so the delivery team and I can come over"

For those that don't know what a green dot card is... it's a moneypak.

Now, Money Pak in and of itself is a a reputable business.   But even they have a major warning on their main website page that says to beware of scams:  https://www.moneypak.com/

I personally don't use moneypak.com, so I can not honestly say I would fully endorse their business.

Here's a few articles regarding scams and the use of green dot cards:

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20140406/NJNEWS/304060013/Officials-warn-Don-t-fall-for-Green-Dot-MoneyPaks-scams

http://www.kpho.com/story/21291286/scammers-now-using-green-dot-moneypak-cards

 

After the various exchange of messages, I sent a few messages to PCH and Mega Millions, and also contacted my local authorities.

It's not the first time I've come across scammers, and I'm sure it won't be the last.  The account was reported to facebook, authorities notified - and it's just another day online.

Just be aware of this tactic, and be careful with your interactions online.   Sharing this particular incident as I'm sure it could be easy for others to fall prey to this scam.

Stay safe, folks.

Until later, be blessed.